Employees At This Indian Start-Up Can Now Take A 30-Minute Afternoon Nap

An Indian start-up has come up with an innovative solution for employees who fight an urge to take a power nap during work hours. Wakefit Solutions has announced that it will allow all its employees to take an afternoon siesta every day for half-an-hour.

In an “official announcement” on Twitter, the company said that all employees will have the “Right To Nap” between 2 pm and 2:30 pm. And the calendars of all employees will be blocked during this time as “official nap time”, it said.

“We are also working towards creating cozy nap pods and quiet rooms in the office to build the perfect nap environment for our employees,” the company added.

The tweet also carried a screenshot of an internal email sent by Wakefit co-founder Chaitanya Ramalingegowda. In it, Mr Ramalingegowda cited a study by NASA that suggested afternoon naps are linked to better performance and productivity. He said the study revealed that a “26-minute catnap” can enhance performance by as much as 33 per cent. Citing another study by Harvard University, he said it showed how naps prevent burnout.

“Keeping these in mind, we have decided to normalize afternoon naps at work and declare 2 to 2:30 PM as official nap time for all our employees. From now on, you will have the right to nap between 2 to 2:30 PM,” he added.

While Wakefit allowing its employees an afternoon nap took many by surprise, it is to be seen whether other companies replicate the practice, since many start-ups are now focusing more on better work-life balance for their employees.